The role of oxidative stress markers in pregnancy induced hypertension
Introduction. This article investigated the role of oxidative stress in the etiology of pregnancy induced hypertension. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of oxidative stress, and the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance in the blood of pregnant women with and without pregnancy induced hypertension and to correlate these parameters with clinical parameters during pregnancy and delivery. Material and Methods. This prospective study was performed at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska. It included 200 pregnant women - 100 with pregnancy induced hypertension, and 100 healthy normotensive pregnant women between 28 to 40 weeks of gestation. Results. Pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension had significantly higher median levels of oxidative stress marker: thiobarbituric acid reactive substance of 36.7 ?mol compared to the control group of 13.2 ?mol. Pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension presenting with complications had significantly higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substance mean levels of 41.6 ?mol compared with pregnant women without complications. The highest thiobarbituric acid reactive substance level of 43.9 ?mol was found in pregnant women with Hemolysis, Elevated, Liver Ensimes, Low Plateles syndrome. Conclusion. The study showed that thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, as an oxidative stress marker, may be used in clinical practice in the assessment of the severity of complications and as an indicator for timely delivery in women with pregnancy induced hypertension. Further studies and a larger study sample of pregnant women with severe hypertension are necessary to confirm this conclusion.